WelistentoChildren

Time 4 Children offers the most important ingredient for children's emotional well-being – ‘Listening and Time'. Providing children with exactly what they need – ‘Time and space to be Listened to’, reduces the children's levels of anxiety, improves their self-confidence and self-esteem and increases their emotional resilience.

How we do this...We have a team of Volunteer Practitioners who are trained to ’listen’ to children using Non-Directive Play and Reflective Listening. Our Volunteer Practitioners give each child a weekly session where there is the time and space to explore their worries, fears, upsets or anxieties.

Where our help & support takes place...Wherever children go to school we can go too. We are a charity that works well with local schools. Most schools in Mid Sussex and surrounding areas know Time 4 Children well. We feel school is the best place in which to support a child for many reasons, the main reasons being – Children do not have to be taken out of school for lengthy periods, thus reducing disruption to learning; Children already feel safe and comfortable in familiar surroundings. Children’s safety is paramount to us.

How long is a session?Usually 50 to 60 minutes. This of course depends on a child’s age. A 5 year old might only manage 30 minutes…..a 10 year old will usually have an hour.

How many sessions do children have?Because every child is different the number of sessions needed, can vary widely. Some children need short term support whilst others need a lot longer. Experience has shown us that most children have between 15 and 20 sessions.

The children benefit from...Increased emotional well-being, self-confidence & self-esteem; Feeling better about who they are and what they can achieve; Improved social skills; More able to learn at school.

How to get help and support for a child.Usually schools i.e. Head Teachers, Special Needs Co-Ordinators, Learning Mentors contact us about making a referral for a child but other Family Support Workers and Integrated Prevention and Earliest Help (IPEH) make referrals too, as do School Nurses and Social Workers. When we receive a referral, a home visit to the parents or carers is arranged by us. The parent or main carer must consent to their child being supported. We cannot support a child without consent.

Our Volunteer PractitionersOur Volunteer Practitioners have all completed an intensive 60 hour training course. All of them have NSPCC training in Safeguarding Children, FGM and Prevent and are cleared through the Disclosure & Barring Service. When supporting children, our Volunteer Practitioners are provided with weekly individual supervision and group supervision.Time 4 Children is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children and young people.